Ball State University
7-8
Northwestern State
8-10
Softball Splits Friday Play At Purple & Gold Challenge
February 28, 2015 | Softball
BATON ROUGE, La. - - The Ball State softball team opened play in the Purple & Gold Challenge with a with a Friday split, rallying past Northwestern State (9-8) before falling to host No. 7 LSU (7-3) at Tiger Park.
The Cardinals, who move to 7-9 on the year with the split, continue play in the three-day tournament Saturday with game versus Stephen F. Austin (12:30 p.m. CT) and Northwestern State (2:30 p.m. CT).
Ball State's game versus LSU was a homecoming for head coach Tyra Perry, who was a two-year letterwinner for the Tigers (1997-98) and helped the program post a combined 102-28 (.758) record over her career, including a 58-14 (.806) mark in Southeastern Conference play
Senior left fielder Loren Cihlar (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) led the Ball State offense with six hits over the two games, including a 4-for-4 effort in the loss to the host Tigers who are a perfect 18-0 on the year.
Junior shortstop Selena Reyna (Houston, Texas/South Houston) also had a solid day at the plate, going 5-for-9 including a solo home run to give the Cardinals an early 1-0 lead over LSU.
In the opener, senior catcher Jessica Craft (LaPorte, Ind./LaPorte) provided the biggest hit in the rally past Northwestern State (8-10), launching her first career grand slam to score what proved to be the game-winning run. Craft also recorded a two-run single earlier in the contest to finish the game with six RBI. She was directly responsible for seven of Ball State's nine runs, as she also scored following her single.
GAME ONE RECAP: Ball State 9 - Northwestern State 8
In the opening game, Northwestern State jumped out to an early 4-0 lead by scoring one run in the first inning and three more in the top of the third.
The Cardinals battled back to tie the score in the bottom of the third, however, with four runs of their own. Reyna and Cihlar opened the inning with back-to-back singles. One out later, senior right fielder Hanne Stuedemann (Mattawan, Mich./Mattawan) drove in Ball State's first run of the game with a RBI single through the right side.
Craft followed with a two-run single up the middle to cut the gap to 4-3. Craft then came around to score the tying run on a double from freshman third baseman Julia Bailey (Lafayette, La./Teurlings Catholic) and a NSU error on the throw in.
The Demons wasted little time retaliating, answering with four runs in the top of the fourth. Highlighting the NSU rally was a three-run home run from Kellye Kincannon.
Ball State would not be deterred, however, as they responded with another big inning in the bottom of the fourth. Once again, Reyna and Cihlar opened the rally with back-to-back singles. Junior second baseman Emily Dabkowski (Plainfield, Ind./South Putnam) followed with a single of her own to load the bases.
After Stuedemann collected her second RBI of the game by drawing a walk, Craft deposited a 2-1 pitch deep over the center field wall for her first career grand slam. The blast also gave the Cardinals a 9-8 edge on the scoreboard.
Junior pitcher Nicole Steinbach (Merrillville, Ind./Andrean) took control of the game from there, reentering in relief and retiring the Demons in order in the fifth and sixth innings. After allowing the first two runners to reach base in the seventh, Steinbach notched back-to-back strikeouts before forcing a shallow fly to center field to end the game.
Steinbach, who started the game, ultimately picked up the save which is her first of the season and the seventh of her career. Over her two appearances in the game, Steinbach allowed seven runs (six earned) and 10 hits over 6.1 innings. She also struck out six batters, including five over the final three innings.
Sophomore designated player/pitcher Amanda Arnett (Monroe, Mich./Monroe) earned her first career pitching victory, taking over the game in the top of the fourth and retiring two of the four batters she faced.
GAME TWO RECAP; No. 7 LSU 7 – Ball State 3
With the score deadlocked at 0-0 entering the top of the third, Reyna gave the Cardinals some momentum and an early 1-0 lead with a solo shot over the center field wall. After a Cihlar single, Dabkwoski gave Ball State a 3-0 lead with a two-run blast to left field.
The 3-0 deficit to the Cardinals was LSU's largest of the season, in which it entered the game out-scoring its opponents 117-19, including a 9-0 win over Stephen F. Austin earlier in the day.
LSU scored its first run in the bottom of the fourth on a RBI fielder's choice, before taking the lead at 6-3 after a five-run fifth inning. The Tigers scored their final run in the bottom of the sixth on a one-out bases loaded sacrifice fly to give the game its final score of 7-3.
Steinbach was able to control the Tigers' batters early, allowing just two hits and one run over the first four innings. She also struck out six batters.
In a solid relief outing, freshman Carolyn Wilmes (Evansville, Ind./Mater Dei) allowed just one run and one hit over the final inning-and-a-third.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State softball, follow the team on Twitter: @BallStateSB and @TyraPerry13 / Instagram: ballstatesb / Facebook: BallStateSoftball
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Arnett, Amanda (1-0)
L: Baylee Gray (1-4)
S: Steinbach, Nicole (1)
Batting:
2B: Brittany Virgoe 1 ; Kaytie Proctor 1
HR: Brittany Virgoe 1 ; Kellye Kincannon 1
RBI: Brittany Virgoe 2 ; Kellye Kincannon 3 ; Brittney Jones 2 ; Natalie Landry 1
SH: Hailee Rhodes 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sidney Salmans 2 ; Brittany Virgoe 3 ; Kellye Kincannon 1 ; Cassandra Barefield 1 ; Kaytie Proctor 1
PO: Brittney Jones 1
Batting:
2B: Bailey, Julia 1
HR: Craft, Jessica 1
RBI: Stuedemann, Hanne 2 ; Craft, Jessica 6
Base Running:
RUNS: Reyna, Selena 2 ; Cihlar, Loren 2 ; Dabkowski, Emily 1 ; Stuedemann, Hanne 2 ; Craft, Jessica 2
SB: Reyna, Selena 1
HBP: Cowger, Sammi 1
